A train of the "Grand Lignes" at Gare du Nord

This morning we packed up our bags once more and went with Jean-Marc to catch our Eurostar train back to London. It was nice not to be in a rush, unlike when we caught our train to Paris. At the station, I found that the price of going to the toilet is even more expensive than in London - 4F to pee, or 6F for other toilet activities. And I was also surprised to see a man with only a towel around his waist. You can pay, I think it was, 30 F to shower.

Waiting for our train and showing off Brett's tacky tourist souvenir. He said he only bought it because he had to use up the last of his coins. Yeah, right.

We said our goodbyes to Jean-Marc and were admitted to the departure lounge, where we ... lounged for a while before realizing that our departure had already been announced. We got on board with only a minute or two to spare. Nevertheless, the train arrived late in Waterloo due to track congestion near London. I'm sure that the station announcer at Waterloo somehow managed to blame the French for this.

It was muggy in London, but not nearly so sticky as it had been in Paris. Our hotel was right next to Gloucester Road tube-station, just off the map of Central London, but the whole area is a major hotel haven for Americans. The Millenium Gloucester looks and feels like an American corporate hotel - the same bland luxury, and excessive prices. We'd gotten fairly cheap rates here by using Priceline, unaware that, at the time, even cheaper rates were to be had at the hotel's own website. This sounds like a nice deal for the Millenium chain. Another nice deal for them is the rates they charge for telephone usage - something like $4.00 for a five minute local call, and $2.25 for a toll-free call!

We settled in, and set off on our own little trips around the neighborhood; Brett to get acquainted with it (not that it's particularly worth getting acquainted with), and me to shop for clothes on Kensington High Street. Six or seven years ago I shopped that street and found some funky stores. Now it's all chains such as Next, Urban Outfitters and the Gap.

Not a particularly eventful day to report on, then. Tonight we're meeting my brother Neil for dinner. Ever since I told Brett about sticky toffee pudding (an English desert), we've been trying to find a restaurant that serves it. Tonight, we have to persuade my brother to eat there - a difficult task considering how thoroughly Neil is acquainted with the limitations of English cuisine.